Child Support Enforcement Worker

Description
The State of Nebraska, Department of Health and Human Services through the Division of Child and Family Services is seeking a Child Support Enforcement Worker in the Lincoln area.
Under general supervision, a Child Support Enforcement Worker, reviews applications, establishes paper and computer case records. Establishes and enforces paternity and court orders for child support and medical support using legal and administrative processes. Obtains financial information from parties to calculate child support guidelines; drafts legal documents under the direction of an attorney; performs related work as required.
"You have the passion; we have the opportunities – let’s make a difference for Nebraskans."
Please note: Effective July 1, 2023, pay rate will increase to $18.261.
What We Can Offer You

• 13 Paid Holidays
• Flexible Schedules
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Career Development and Learning
• 156% match of first 4.8% contribution to Retirement Plan
• Opportunity to be part of a caring organization
• Generous Leave Accruals and benefits
• Stable Employment Opportunity

"The State of Nebraska values our teammates as well as a supportive environment that strives to promote diversity, inclusion, and belonging. We recruit, hire, train, and promote in all job classifications and at all levels without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, marital status, or genetics."
Examples of Work
The Child Support Enforcement Worker

• Researches and verifies, at the request of another state, noncustodial parent information by reviewing legal documents for correctness and accuracy to ensure filings are appropriate to establish/collect support for another state.
• Communicates with a variety of in and out of state agencies including: federal/state partners, attorneys, clerks of the court, and related entities to achieve the goals of the child support program.
• File with the Clerk of the District Court to establish an order for support, to register a foreign support order, or enter to pursue income withholding.
• Communicate on the phone with customers that may be reluctant to establish or pay support orders.
• Requires a personality that can be tactful and empathetic under stressful or difficult situations.
• Monitors payments and initiates administrative enforcement actions, (i.e. Income Withholding, License Suspension, Administrative Attachment).
• Files the petition with the Clerk of the District Court, schedules a hearing date and monitors the petition to ensure that it is served on the alleged/noncustodial parent and/or the alleged/noncustodial parent answers the petition to ensure statutory timeframes are met.
• Ability to multi-task in a busy work environment while maintaining a high level of confidentiality, accuracy, and efficiency.
• Schedules genetic testing to establish paternity, witnesses the procedure for the legal "chain of evidence", and identifies the alleged/noncustodial parent and client for the court.
• Examples of Work Interviews noncustodial parent delinquent in child support, obtains financial information, and explains the legal basis and remedies for collection of current and delinquent child support.
• Under the direction of an attorney, negotiates and enters into agreements with noncustodial parents for additional monies to purge delinquencies.
• Personally, interviews clients on sensitive matters involving a child born out-of-wedlock to obtain information which may be used in court to establish paternity, to explain the legal process of establishing paternity and/or an order for support and the basis for completion of legal documents.
• Must be a hard worker with predictable and reliable attendance.
• Positive attitude with ability to perform at a consistently high level in a fast-paced environment.
• Requires a person that can independently analyze a variety of case situations to determine appropriate establishment, enforcement, and intergovernmental actions.
• Drafts, under the direction of an attorney, stipulations and voluntary wage assignments for the non-custodial parent's signature so additional money can be obtained to purge delinquencies.
• Manages an assigned child support caseload and demonstrate critical thinking skills required to complete tasks independently.
• Drafts, under the direction of an attorney, petitions to establish paternity and/or an equitable order for support and obtains the client's signature.
• Files, after the attorney's approval, all legal documents with the appropriate Clerk of the District Court and monitors the timeframes for legal service, completion of interrogatories and answers by the noncustodial parent to ensure timely progression of the case through the court system.
• Ability to work with detailed information with minimal mistakes.
• Drafts, under the direction of an attorney, garnishments, contempt actions, and withhold and transmit to enforce support obligations from uncooperative noncustodial parents.

Qualifications / Requirements
REQUIREMENTS: Two years of work experience in a health and /or human services field or 24 semester hours of post high school education in behavior sciences, public/business administration, social sciences or closely related field OR any combination of education and experience that equates to two years in human services, behavioral sciences, public/business administration, social sciences, or a closely related field; experience with computer software programs.
PREFERRED: One or more year experience working in the child support program. One or more year experience using CHARTS system. One or more year experience using N-FOCUS system. One or more year experience analyzing, interpreting and applying regulations for decision making.
Knowledge, Skills And Abilities
Knowledge of: all agency child support programs, policies, procedures and requirements, child support statutes; child support court rules regarding timeliness of case actions; paralegal functions; the Aid to Dependent Children program; office procedures including the organization of data and using computer systems programs; the uniqueness of families, children and their cultural diversity; community resources and how to access them; interagency collaboration; confidentiality and guidelines for the release of information.
Skill in the techniques of interviewing for collecting customer information, gaining rapport, and assessing customer needs; providing customer service; analyzing facts and evidence to recommend appropriate legal or administrative action; using time management and organizational tools; reviewing and evaluating information in relation to general guidelines and specific criteria.
Ability to: communicate effectively with customers and/or reticent or hostile individuals from a variety of socio/economic, cultural, and educational backgrounds; conduct in-depth interviews to gather sensitive and personal information and identify needs; apply problem solving techniques to a variety of situations.